May I marry at your Church?

(If I am not a participant in the life of the congregation)

The answer depends on your response to several questions:

1) Do you plan to attend Sunday worship services regularly at Christ Episcopal Church, both before and after your wedding?

2) Is at least one of the couple a baptized Christian?

3) Have the couple met with Fr. Shaw at least 30 days prior to the anticipated date of the wedding?

If you can answer "yes" to the above three questions, and if this is the first marriage for both the bride and the groom, then (unless there is another issue that Fr. Shaw does not know about), the answer is generally "yes," and provided the number of anticipated wedding guests does not exceed the capacity of the church. If the wedding guest capacity exceeds the capacity of the Church, Fr. Shaw will be pleased to discuss plan B with you.

When should we contact Fr. Shaw?

To arrange for the marriage ceremony at the Church, you must contact the Rector, Fr. Shaw, before making any wedding plans at the Church. He is the person who schedules the weddings at the Church. He will need to meet with you, and he advises you to contact him as soon as you plan to be married, even before making a commitment to a reception hall. The closer you are to the date, the harder it may be to schedule the wedding.

What if one or both of us have been married once before?

If there has been a previous marriage, is there a civil document showing that the previous marriage has officially ended? Fr. Shaw will need to see the document.

What if one or both of us have been married more than one time, before?

If there has been more than one previous marriage for either the bride or the groom, Fr. Shaw will need to clear matters with our Diocesan Bishop, and there is no guarantee of yes or no as to the Bishop's response, nor can any specific time frame be given for an answer.

What is the wedding ceremony like?

Each wedding follows the basic format of one of the Episcopal Church service options, all of which override the preferences of etiquette books, since etiquette books may not be aware of what the Episcopal Church service is like. What is said and sung at an Episcopal wedding should not contradict the beliefs of the Nicene Creed.

In the Episcopal service, the husband and wife are marrying each other, and the Church is blessing that marriage. The blessing by the priest is what makes a Christian marriage different from a marriage at a Justice of the Peace.

Since this is a church wedding, do I need a civil license?

Yes. According to state law, no Episcopal wedding can take place without a civil marriage license. Licenses in Duanesburg are issued at the town hall. Please contact the town hall for more information about arranging for a marriage license. 

Can I have a blessing in the church if I have been married by a Justice of the Peace?

Yes. There is a special service for that kind of circumstance. This blessing is simply asking for the blessing of Christ on a marriage that has already taken place. It would not be considered a re-marriage. Your official marriage date is what has already been recorded on the license for the Justice of the Peace. There are several options from which to choose for this kind of ceremony.

Do I become a member automatically if I am married at the Church?

No. One does not become member of the parish unless one transfers church membership to the parish or is baptized as part of the parish. If you would like to be baptized or to transfer membership to the parish, please contact Fr. Shaw. He needs to meet with you and discuss matters relating to transfer and baptism. 

Further questions about individual circumstances can be answered when meeting with Fr. Shaw. (If you decide to send an email message to Fr. Shaw, please put "marriage plans" as the subject.)